My Dad took us into the Atlantic out of the intracoastal once when we lived in Fort Lauderdale in a 21 footer. Good thing we were tied to the bow rail

. Didn't even get far enough out to really say we were in the ocean and the first wave went totally over the boat and dropped a 3 foot fish in my Grandmother's lap. Turning around between waves was a trick, but we never left the canals again after that.